the loveleigh blog

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

On a Friday night this past June my sweetheart Manny took me to a movie. We went to a six o'clock showing of A-Team but before the feature started something else came on the big screen. He nudged me and whispered "I forgot to tell you, I made you something..." and then this came on.

He got down on one knee with that ring and I said/cried/shrieked "YES!", the crowd of around twenty in the theater and also the whole theater staff were there clapping and congratulating us. Obviously we didn't stay for the show, there was celebrating and phone calls to make! We walked a couple blocks from the theater to Manny's office where he had gathered all my family and our friends for a surprise engagement party complete with champagne and sweets. We showed the film again, and there wasn't a dry eye left in the place. Thank you Skylight Theater and Jeweler on The Roof it was movie magic!

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

My love of giraffes has been steadfast since my first stuffed animal, a giraffe named Geraldine.When I saw this DirecTV "Opulence, I has it" spot I got all giggly inside, and also jealous, not for the gold bars but for the pygmy giraffe!

It also reminds me of my dream vacation to the Giraffe Manor in Nairobi.

Saturday, July 24, 2010

It's almost the hottest month the northwest ever sees and I'm yearning for a day of rain to come. Any excuse to purchase a cheerful umbrella from this lovely Seattle bumbershoot connoisseur. Which one will I choose...

This could go with everything...

but this just might brighten even the worst rainy nw day!

View the pare*umbrella site to see more amazing rain shelters. Style and fabric designs change every season and are all produced in limited editions so get them while it's hot!

I'm so sorry for my failure to update on all the changes and beautiful things happening in my life. I have since moved to my hometown, said yes to the sweetest marriage proposal ever (story coming soon!!!), said goodbye to my cherished laptop, quit my day job, and the animal children have grown. I hope to have more time to post. Things are well, I'm full of good news and lovely things to post.

Saturday, March 13, 2010

My kitty Sundance is at the vet overnight for the second time in 3 weeks. His urinary tract is not so perfect and I don't even want to go into detail all that he's gone through. Hopefully my little one can come home tomorrow. I miss his little sweet face.

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Quite a fine breakfast was had today using my American Spoon goods that I received for Christmas. Buckwheat pancakes with blueberry spoon fruit and Michigan maple syrup while watching Bandolero! An enjoyable morning for sure. Now off to work, boohoo...

Sunday, May 25, 2008

I'm Oregon bound Thursday morning through monday night. Coffee will be drank, strolls will be taken, hugs will be everywhere, and my suitcase will come home stuffed with Juanita's Corn Chips!

I hope to have coffee with all these faces and more. A visit to the new animal reserve near The Dalles is in order to see my most favorite animal of all, giraffes! A stop in for a hand painted cookie is a must at the new La Petite Provence bakery. I'll spend a day soaking up the lovely Apple Green Shop with my sister paying my tab for the delicious candle and tableware she's got me hooked on! Of course the two biggest events will be seeing top of the class miss Isabella's ballet performance Saturday night and then an after party thrown by super astronaut robot fireman Daniel in my honor. Cupcakes and hide and seek have been promised and I'm holding him to it!!!

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Manny and I had a fun day... slept in, made egg white scramble with peppers asparagus and veggie sausage, wrote the bean blog, watched a great John Wayne movie The Shootist went to Lucky Baldwins in Sierra Madre and split a chip medley. What is a chip medley? it's chips (fries), with sauteed mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes, onions and Heinz baked beans. I fell in Heinz bean love. Santa Barbara Brewery started pouring this week and it was black as the night. We headed to Amoeba Music to peruse the westerns. We picked up a nifty barely used talking heads cd/dvd/book collection called Once in a Lifetime. While I listened, read, and watched my new purchase Manny edited a video together with old footage he shot in Art Center to a song we really enjoy, soldier on vimeo, a memorable memorial day weekend video. Now on to our current obsession The Wire to end the day.. so long farewell, auf wiedersehen, goodnight.

you buy a new dresser of course! I got this at a thrift shop and I'm working on making it look nice. I sanded it down to get off the primary colored Jewish clowns. Seriously, I should have taken pictures before but I forgot! Just imagine clowns with yamikas and balloons. It will soon be "Ralph Lauren Mexican Feather Grass #NA69"!

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

we LOVE 'em here. The biscuits were so good at Cowboy Fest that it drove me to bake some up myself. I baked and baked and baked until the recipe was tripled and we had 55 biscuits. Then my secret cowboy beans were made. Now all I need is a dutch oven for mastering peach cobbler!

okay fine, here is my secret beans recipe...
These beans will take a few hours to cook so leave enough time before your bean crazy friends start arriving! It usually serves Manny, Freddy, and I for two days whatever that means!

rinse your soaked beans and put them in a pot. along with them add all other ingredients except the cilantro. Put that on the stove and add your water so it covers all your ingredients. cover the pot with a lid and turn the stove on high until it starts boiling then turn down to medium heat and stir. For about the next 4 hours you will need to stir the beans pretty much every 45 minutes. make sure there is always enough water covering all the ingredients. if the water gets low add more. for the last 30 minutes of cooking add the cilantro. why add it last? because it turns brown and lifeless if you add it in the beginning! pretty much that is it. If your beans are still tough and hard cook it longer! I serve them with shredded cheese, Tapatio, and biscuits of course.

preheat your oven to 400 degrees. mix the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. cut the butter into the flour mix until it turns to coarse crumbs. add the milk and egg and stir until just combined. use a floured surface and knead the dough gently until it comes together. make sure not to knead too much though or your flakiness will lack. pat out your dough so it is a 1/2 inch thick. cut out biscuits with a round cookie cutter and place on a ungreased baking sheet. bake for about 10-15 minutes on high rack. serve with butter and strawberry jam!

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

We did Cowboy Fest for 2 days this year. The first day we went with Freddy and Sean, on Sunday with Paul and his gorgeous daughter Sephira. We all had a good time, the weather was perect and we got to see everything we wanted to. Once again the chuck wagon peach cobbler was my favorite part!

Sunday, April 20, 2008

So recently Manny and I have been pretty obsessed with the show Battlestar Galactica. Adama is the commander of the great military vessel Battlestar Galactica, commander of the refugee fleet and military commander of the evacuees of the twelve colonies. Anyways Adama is just about as great as Obama. Obama could totally crush a Cylon war. and yes Manny and I are pretty weak at photoshop but we tried!

Friday, April 4, 2008

So these are the boots. My first pair of boots. My most favorite boots ever. The perfect birthday present with the perfect fit from the perfect love Manny. I love love love them and I've already broke them in!

Friday, March 14, 2008

Growing up in the fruit orchards of Hood River Oregon I have a serious love for fruit trees. These bananas hanging over our driveway amaze me as do the lemon and avocado trees. Oh how I love the California climate!

Saturday, March 8, 2008

Things are well in Los Angeles. Sunny hot days, great neighbors, finally some healthy cats, and an amazing music video about to be released directed by Manny for "Grand Ole Party" my current favorite band!